Bruton Smith wishes he had more seats built.
The first big day at zMax Dragway left Smith gushing about what he saw.
"I'm overwhelmed with this," Smith said. "In business, it's great when you do something and it's a big financial success, and that's what we're having."
Friday was not a sellout, but all of today's reserved seats, 30,000 of them, are sold.
Smith said standing room remains available, but at some point that will be cut off.
Smith said he would build 40,000 seats if he had it to do again.
Tom Compton, president of the National Hot Rod Association, told Smith during a news conference: "Bruton, you did build the Bellagio of drag racing."
Compton said, "We were estimating that maybe 50 percent of the crowd may be first-timers. That's one of the big reasons why we wanted to come here."
Compton said first-timers need to know that tickets entitle fans to visit pit areas and watch crews at work.
"I've never seen more engaged fans, more excited fans," Compton said. "People who were screaming and laughing. Fans were cheering, booing. I think motorsports fans are motorsports fans. I think fans are just going to love NHRA Powerade Drag racing."
Biker impressed
Matt Smith, who is from King, N.C., qualified first in Pro Stock Motorcycle and then praised the new dragway.
"This is a phenomenal place," Smith said. "Bruton outdone himself here. The bikes get left out sometimes. I'm glad to have a hometrack finally. People from high school who I haven't seen in forever have come up to me. I used to call Atlanta my home track.
"The racing surface is so smooth. A bike will show the bumps. The right lane might be just a touch better. All in all, it's awesome."
Daughter upstages famous father
John Force, so legendary in drag racing that he has a grandstand named after him at zMax Dragway, had the second-fastest Funny Car in the first round of qualifying.
"This is the big leagues," he said. "You want to rock and roll."
Then his daughter surpassed him. Later in the day, John Force fell out of the top 12.
"All of the racers here are hoping to give the fans a good show," Ashley Force said. "We're very focused. We're very ready for this countdown."
She qualified fourth.
Troxel first to 300 mph
Funny Car racer Melanie Troxel became the first driver to top 300 mph at zMax Dragway.
"That's pretty cool," Troxel said. "To get that first pass out clean is a big relief for the team. I'm really excited to see these grandstands and all these people."
She wound up qualifying seventh.
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